fiddlehead.....every changing, ever growing

fiddlehead....ever changing, ever growing

Saturday, June 4, 2011

baby, baby....

my sweet baby with her new baby-doll. She is totally in love.

I am in such awe of the natural sweetness Tessa shows with her little baby-doll. It has me thinking that there is may be something so inherent in nurturing for some people. Seeing Tessa with her baby-doll had wondering how much of it is a purely female trait.

I don't want to be one of "those people" that categorizes girls and boys into roles. Really, I am not. But, having said that, I look at my 3 boys and never once have they spoken sweetly to a baby-doll.
I actually did get a boy doll for my oldest son, but it was never "nurtured". No, it was yet another item to be stuffed into the Tonka truck. Really it was rarely played with, but if it was it was because Buzz Lightyear and Spiderman were missing in action. That boy doll was never snuggled, rocked, burped or given a bottle by one of my boys.

In our family I have always really made an effort to show feelings, talk about feelings...love, sadness, fear, etc. And although I haven't seen the boys "nurture" a doll, what is important is that theyvery naturally have done this with a real baby-their sister, or to their baby cousin. The difference is it just has never happened with a baby-doll, and that is why I took notice when Tessa absolutely fell in love with this doll and immediately began nurturing her, giving her a bottle, burping her and even speaking in a sweet voice to her!

I will say that Jack once show me how he would hold his new sister when she came home.....it made for a great photo session of practicing being a big brother to his new sister.

BUT that baby also went for some scary rides soon after.
The truth is that we all have the ability to nurture, for some (boys and girls, men and women) it comes more naturally, or has to be learned and practiced. But we all know people that exude nurturance naturally, that have such an ease with it. Who knows how Tessa will grow and change over time, but this certainly was a glimpse into her sweet soul...and perhaps for some it just comes more naturally with a baby-doll.

5 comments:

Oh, that's realy really lovely! My parents had the opposite experience in our family with trucks - my sister and I were given them but NOT INTERESTED. Then along came my brother.... couldn't get enough! Whatever the reason, these pictures are incredibly sweet!

my daughter never cared much for her dolls or real babies when she was a younger, but now that she's almost 9 & starting puberty, she's got this huge love for real babies all of a sudden. i think it must be those female hormones kicking in & making her feel the gravitational pull so many women feel toward babies.

Thank you for visiting the fiddlehead report!

About Me

This blog began as a journey to bring home our daughter from Ethiopia, but has become much more. It is the place I share our lives as a family....the joys, the chaos and the messy moments. It is a woman loving motherhood, embracing the little moments, continually looking for the beauty in life with gratitude. Here I share life as an artist, a mother, a wife, as a lover of photography, collector of quotes, seeker of hope, messenger of inspiration.

Followers

Fiddlehead?

Why fiddlehead?

As I was becoming a mother, I discovered a fiddlehead in my backyard and was fascinated by it. Its natural uncurling form. How as it grows it reveals itself. The way the fiddleheads gather together like a family and grow outward. How the fiddlehead changes ever so quickly and blossoms into a fern before you know it. Just like time passing, before you realize it those fiddleheads are gone. That moment has passed. As I evolved into a mother I discovered my need to nurture the artist within. My love of art and photography grew and soon became a passion for capturing my life with my ever and quickly changing fiddleheads. Like the fiddlehead, we are special, unique and ever changing.

Project 64

Fiddlehead Fine Arts & Fotography

40 Before 40

1. re-establish transcendental mediation practice 2. learn to ride a horse 3. host an open studio show with art friends 4. complete Ethiopia series 5. have a totally unplugged weekend 6. long family weekend at boat house 7. surprise Andy 8. Run 10K race 9. go Latin dancing 10. girls weekend- uninterrupted 11. finish Studio space 12. transfer wedding video to DVD 13. service to the church 14. reach out to those in need with the kids 15. alone time with each child for 24 hours 16. locks of love hair donation 17. host neighborhood party 18. get lean, fit and to goal weight 19. take kids to Disney 20. go on a ski trip 21. N.Y.C. to see a Broadway show 22. visit Washington D.C. with Jud & Drew 23. spa day with the ladies 24. finish baby books 25. complete wooden puzzle and learn to sew a pillow 26. explore a new art medium 27. grow a garden with the kids and eat from it 28. take all the kids on a bike ride 29. make pickles and learn how to can them 30. take a photography class 31. redecorate bedroom 32. have a garage sale 33. take bob the bulldog to training 34. art show in Madison 35. sponsor an ET child 36. make a favorite recipe binder 37. go on a yoga retreat 38. do something outside my comfort zone 39. grow out nails 40. write the children's book with Mom Then celebrate the first 40 years... BIG!